Upon hearing this, every Toronto Maple Leafs fan should be thinking, "If only there wasn't a salary cap in the NHL." Brian Burke's job would become exponentially easier, and the city of Toronto might be able to see some playoff action for the first time since, well, before the previous work stoppage in 2005.

Alas, the NHL does have a salary cap, and the valuation of $1 billion only helps one group of people: the owners.

This news should be nothing new to Leafs Nation, who have seen some of the worst times over the last 15 years, primarily due to poor spending and atrocious front office management.

Personally, I blame my James van Riemsdyk jersey.

However, with Brian Burke at the helm, it seems the Toronto Maple Leafs are finally making a turn for the better. Sadly, due to the NHL lockout, the fans of Toronto must wait to see what their billion-dollar franchise can do on the ice.

On the other hand, the work stoppage has provided extra time for the young Maple Leafs prospects to hone their skills, which can only help the franchise in the long run.

When comparing the rosters of the first-place Toronto Maple Leafs and second-place New York Rangers ($750 million), it's safe to assume the Maple Leafs are nothing more than a rich team with a long road ahead.